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REPUBLICAN
PRESS RELEASE
March 2, 2007
SEN. CRAIG RECOMMENDS INCREASE IN VETERANS
BUDGET
Craig wants focus on war injured and those
veterans with disabilities
Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093
(Washington, DC) The White House recently recommended a record $86.4
billion budget for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2008 – up
almost 8 percent over this year’s budget. That budget has now been
endorsed by Sen. Larry Craig, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Craig sent that message in his "views and estimates" letter which was
provided to the Senate Budget Committee. Craig’s letter will help guide
Budget Committee members as they establish an overall spending plan for
all federal agencies.
"Assuming enactment of the President's request, overall spending on VA
will have increased by 77 percent since 2001 - the year President Bush
was sworn in. This budget sends a clear message to the troops that we
will support them long after the gunfire has ceased. The clear priority
of this budget is the war injured and veterans with service related
disabilities," Craig said.
In his recommendation concerning VA’s budget, Craig noted that overall
federal spending for other agencies – excluding defense and homeland
security – is slated for just a 1.3 percent increase next year.
"Veterans in Idaho and across the nation expect their government to be
fiscally responsible and reign in overall federal spending. But they
also expect us to keep our commitment to them and all who serve. I think
the President has struck the right balance here," Craig said.
The top Republican on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee also noted
that although the budget for veterans has steadily increased since
President Bush took office, the total number of veterans living in the
United States decreased by nearly 2 million, from 26.4 million in 2001
to an estimated 24.5 million last year. That decline is primarily due to
large numbers of World War II veterans who are passing away.
But while the overall number of veterans has dropped, there has been a
steady increase in the number of patients seeking medical care from VA,
up from 4.25 million in 2001 to over 5.3 million last year, and it will
rise to an estimated 5.8 million in 2008.
"No longer is VA health care the health care of last resort. Today VA
health care is consistently ranked as the best in the nation. We are
determined to make it even better," Craig said. "Couple the demand for
VA care with an aging population, and newer veterans with complex care
needs, and it is not surprising that we’ve increased the budget."
But while Craig supports the President’s overall budget number, the
Idaho Republican has proposed different approaches in several areas.
Among Craig’s plan, he recommends spending:
* $20 million above the President’s request for medical and prosthetic
research, raising the total amount of research money to $432 million in
FY 2008
* $3.7 million above the President’s request for additional staff to
adjudicate veterans’ disability claims
* $300,000 above the President's request to increase funding for the
National Veterans' Training Institute and the Veterans' Workforce
Investment Program
* $51 million above the President’s request for minor VA construction
projects
For the text of the letter:
Sen. Larry Craig's "Views and Estimates" letter on
the proposed VA budget for 2008 - page 1
Sen. Larry Craig's "Views and Estimates" letter on
the proposed VA budget for 2008 - page 2
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Larry Scott
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